Sri Anand Acharya Thoughts

In order to attain to the consciousness of the Supreme Self, the disciple must approach a teacher versed in Brahma-Wisdom. To be a worthy disciple it is necessary to possess four qualifications -

a discriminative intellect,

controlled will,

purified emotions

a longing for liberation.

Without devotion to Brahman, progress is not possible.

I will endeavor to explain in what these four qualifications consist.

The disciple should constantly meditate on Brahman as the only Truth to be attained, and all else as untruth.

He is then to train his will. The will is to be directed, not towards the appropriation of what is agreeable to the senses and desires, but towards the realization of the highest knowledge. He is to desire nor of earth or of heaven, but the very soul of Brahman. This means the renunciation of all work.

Renunciation of work will conduce to the quieting of the emotions. Thus he will cease to desire name, fame, or worldly happiness; he will learn to uproot from his heart all passions; in a word, he will turn his eyes forever from the phenomenal and psychical world. This will help him to practice forgiveness, equanimity, and same-sightedness.

He will then be able to uproot the very idea of the ego; for the notion of this “I,” this narrow, mean self, is the greatest stumbling-block to the attainment of Divine Wisdom.